Photo: Ecoramic
For the longest time, people have trusted Teflon in non-stick cookware. However, with change in time, many new options have surfaced. One of the best alternatives is ceramic non-stick cookware.
Teflon lost its credibility among buyers because it released toxic fumes in the food when cooked on medium-high heat. Well, ceramic non-stick cookware is a greener substitute and does not release any chemical fumes in the food, making it perfect for kitchen use.
However, just like every other cookware material, ceramic material also has some strengths and weaknesses. Let’s discuss in detail:
Pros of Ceramic Cookware
Here are some of the best things about ceramic cookware.
1. Toxic Free
One of the biggest strengths of ceramic cookware is that it is a non-toxic cookware. The reason is that the material is made of natural minerals plus the outer coating does not have any lead or cadmium.
So, the materials used for making and non-stick coating is absolutely safe. Therefore, it does not release any fumes that can make your food unfit for consumption. This one is absolutely safe for your health.
Read More: Are Ceramic Pans Safe?
2. Non-Stick Coating Surface
Ceramic cookware has an ultra-smooth non-stick surface. It does not let the food to stick on the bottom and release it easily.
Another benefit is that it needs very less oil for cooking and thus suits the need of health cautious people.
Plus, it helps in cleaning the pan as well. Since there is no food sticking to the pan, you can clean it really easily.
3. Non-Reactive to Acid
Food that have vinegar or any other acidic content must not be cooked in materials like aluminum, copper, iron, and non-stainless steel. These surfaces release atoms of metal in the food and might discolor or cause pungent taste in food.
For such food, ceramic material suits the best. Ceramic is a stone and not metal. Its surface is absolutely safe for acidic food items. The material also does not change the food’s color or flavor at all.
Furthermore, there are other non-stick cookwares that release metallic taste on the food. However, ceramic material has natural mineral non-stick coating which does not emit metallic taste either.
4. Health-friendly
The oil requirement to cook food in ceramic pan is very less. Since there is no excess of oil, it will be great for cholesterol patients.
Ceramic pans are preferred by people who are on a diet and have been trying to get into a stringent health regime for weight loss.
5. Easy Cleaning
Food don’t stick on the ceramic pots, so you can clean them pretty easily. You can use a paper towel to wipe clean the food residue. Even if you want to wash it with soap and water, try not to a metal scrub as it will leave marks on the surface. Plus, the non-stick coating will be hampered.
6. Can be Used as a Food Container
Ceramic cookware is very fancy, and you can use it as a food container as well. You can use it on the dining table and if there is food left then you can store it in these pans and keep in refrigerator.
Furthermore, the cookware comes with lid so saving food inside will not be difficult at all.
7. Beautiful Designs and Colors Available
Another one of the best things in ceramic cookware department is that you get wonderful designs and colors. The cookware is very attractive. If you have modular kitchen settings, these designs will help greatly in uplifting the overall ambience.
8. Affordable
From all the feature, it certainly projects that the cookware will be a bit on the expensive side. Rather, to your surprise, the ceramic cookware is pretty affordable.
Normally, a standard ceramic cookware set with three cookware cost between $100 – $150. You can obviously go on the upside of the cost for the products with higher brand value.
Cons of Ceramic Cookware
Photo: GreenLife
While ceramic material has got great features, there are a few disadvantages that one cannot look past. Let’s take a look:
1. Not As Durable
One of the biggest disadvantages is that ceramic cookware is not very durable. This is especially the case with the non-stick coating as it wears off too sooner.
However, this does depend on how you handle the ceramic cookware. If you handle is well, it will surely last for a long time.
2. Non-Compatible with Metal Utensils
Ceramic cookware doesn’t go good with metal utensils because they scratch the bottom of the pans. Moreover, the non-stick coating also comes off quickly.
One more thing, you should not use knives on the cookware. It will hamper the design as well. Moreover, it is a sharp object and will create nasty scratches on the cookware.
3. Not Suitable for High Heat
It’s true that high heat cooking will not emit any harmful chemicals in the food, but it will surely damage the coating on the surface. This material is not compatible with high heat temperature settings. It will only be helpful when you cook on low to medium heat.
Buying Advices
The ceramic cookware has a fair share of pros and cons, but you can still consider its purchase. You just have to be careful while cleaning it and not cook food on high heat temperature settings. Other than that, it is good to have ceramic cookware set for routine cooking.
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How to Clean Ceramic Cookware
Photo: simple-human.nl
Cleaning is very essential when it’s about ceramic cookware. Here are some essential cleaning tips that you should follow:
1. Clearing the Food and Oil
- Allow the pan to cool down before submerging it in the water. You should never put a hot pan in cold water. Surely, the material can handle extreme temperature conditions, but you should still not put a hot pan under cold water. It will hamper the life of the cookware.
- Wash the cookware with warm soapy water and never use a steel scrub to wash off the residue. It will cause scratches on the surface. You can clean it with a sponge and gently get rid of the food residue.
- Wipe exterior and interior of the pan and be very careful about the edges and the point that connect pan with the handle. This is the place where food is most left.
- Rinse the soap under running water.
- Inspect the pan very carefully and look for the food residue left.
- Take a cotton cloth and dry the pan carefully.
2. Clearing the Burnt and Stuck-on Food
At some point, you will burn food in a ceramic pan while trying out a recipe. For such stances, you should be prepared on how to clean the burnt and stuck-on food.
You can start by soaking the pan in warm soapy water for 15-minutes. This way, the stuck food will loosen up and this is the time when you can scrape the burnt food with a spatula. If the food still doesn’t come out, try soaking it for some more time but don’t be aggressive with picking on the burnt food as it will cause scratches.
If this also doesn’t work then put some water in the pan and turn on the fire on stove. Heat the skillet and try scratching the leftovers gently. Be careful with the hot water and don’t splash it on you.
If it still doesn’t work then you can try powdered cleaners like Comet, Ajax, or simply the baking soda.
3. Clearing the Stains
There are some food or spices that leave stains on the pan. This is especially difficult when you have a light colored ceramic cookware. The stains don’t come off very easily.
Baking soda is an effective cleaning agent. It will not react on the material or damage the surface at all. Other great component to use is vinegar with water as it is a great cleaning agent as well and effectively remove stains.
If you go with the baking soda, you can start by rubbing some on the stain in circular motion. When you add some water to it, this will create a paste. You might have to rub the paste for a couple of minutes. You can also use a brush in the process. Just don’t apply a lot of force.